Tilting support apparatus



March 1969 R. A. BRUHN ETAL 3,430,907

TILTING SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1967 .27 '0; 1/7 VENT 3 E- 5515 H532;

17 anwz/sf TILTING SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed Jan. 19, 1967 Sheet 2 of2United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Supportapparatus for a material handling box, the apparatus having a generallyhorizontal fixed bed, a movable bed pivotally connected to one end ofthe fixed bed and adapted to be swung between a generally horizontalposition and an inclined position. The apparatus includes interconnectedbraces pivotally connected to the bottom of the movable bed andengageable with fixed plates on the fixed bed for locking the movablebed in an inclined position. A tensioning finger and spring device isattached to one of the braces for pulling the braces over the fixedplates when the movable bed is inclined beyond its normal inclination.

Background of the invention This invention relates to apparatus forsupporting a material handling box, and more particularly to apparatusfor supporting a material handling box in either a raised or tiltedposition or a generally horizontal position.

Material handling boxes have many uses and one of such uses is inindustrial plants for holding parts in the process of manufacture orupon which future work, such as machining or grinding for example, hasto be performed. The boxes also are used for containing parts at anassembly station in an assembly line. In any event, the worker at aparticular machining or assembly station reaches into the box, picks upone or more parts, and then performs whatever work or assembly operationis required. Normally, the box will be filled with the parts upon whichthe work is to be performed and the operator can easily pick up theparts :from the box. However, as the parts are removed the level thereofin the box goes down and the operator must reach down into the box toobtain the parts. This not only requires additional physical exertion bythe operator, but increases the time required, per part, for themachining or assembly operation.

Prior attempts at reducing the time expended and the physical exertionof an operator reaching for parts have resulted in various types ofapparatus. For example, some boxes have been constructed with a bottomwhich may be opened to dump parts onto a tray within reach of theoperator. These constructions naturally required extensive alterationsof a conventional box and thus were relatively expensive.

Summary of the invention Briefly, the apparatus of this inventionincludes a frame for supporting a material handling box, the frameincluding a pivotally mounted box support for supporting and moving thebox between a horizontal position and a tilted position, and areleaseable lock for holding the support and box in a tilted position.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of this invention is to provideapparatus for supporting a material handling box in a position forfacilitating removal of the material therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide support 3,430,907Patented Mar. 4, 1969 apparatus of the type described which, whensupporting a material handling box in one position, permits the materialto slide toward the lower end of the box so that such material may beeasily reached by a workman.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the classdescribed which is adapted to perform its intended function withoutrequiring any alteration of material handling boxes adapted to besupported by the apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is to provide apparatus such asdescribed which is simple and economical in construction and effectivein operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be made apparent asthe description progresses.

Description of the drawings In the accompanying drawings, in which oneof various possible embodiments is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of support apparatus constructed inaccordance with this invention, with a material handling box being shownsupported by the apparatus in a generally horizontal position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 1 showing the materialhandling box in a raised or tilted position;

FIG. 3 is an end view of FIG. 2, taken from the lefthand end of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Like parts are indicated by corresponding reference charactersthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings,the support apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention isindicated at 1. Generally, the apparatus comprises a fixed bed 3-supported by a frame 5, a movable bed 7 pivotally connected to the fixedbed, and a releaseable lock 9 for locking the movable bed 7 in aninclined position.

Fixed bed 3 is generally rectangular in shape and comprises side membersor angle irons 11 and 13 (FIG. 4) connected by welding, for example, toa front end member or angle iron 15 and a rear end member or angle iron17. The generally vertically extending portion of front end member 15 iscut-out as indicated at 19 (FIG. 3) for a purpose to be made apparenthereinafter.

Extending between front and rear members 15 and 17 adjacent side members11 and 13 are two channels 21 and 23, respectively. The side flanges 25of each channel extend downwardly from the respective base or web 27 ofthe channel so the web presents a fiat face at the upper edge of thechannel.

Frame 5' comprises a plurality of legs 29 and a plurality of braces 31interconnecting legs 29. A brace 33 extends between the upper ends ofthe front legs 29 and provides support for the front end member 15 ofbed 3-.

Movable bed 7 is generally rectangular in shape and includes two sidechannel members 35 and 37 joined at their front and rear ends by plates39 and 41, respectively (FIG. 3). The side flanges of the channelmembers 35 and 37 extend upwardly from the webs of the channel memberswith forward and rearward portions of the inside flanges 43 removed asindicated at 45 and 47, respectively. A backing plate 49 extends betweenthe rear ends of channel member 35 and 37 in a generally verticaldirection and gussets 51 extend between channel members 35 and 37 andplate 49. Front and rear end channels 55 and 57, respectively, areattached to the lower sides of plates 39 and 41 with the side flanges ofthe channels extending downwardly.

Movable bed 7 is pivotally connected to bed 3 by a hinge indicated at59. The lock 9 includes a shaft 61 rotatably connected to the lower sideof the webs of channel member 35 and 37 by journals 63. Arms or braces65 and 67 are connected to the outer ends of shaft 61 outwardly ofjournals 63. Latching plates 69 and 71 are secured to the upper side ofwebs 27 of fixed bed channels 21 and 23. When the lower ends of arms 65and 67 are located behind latching plates 69 and 71, i.e., to the rightof the plates 69 and 71 as viewed in FIG. 2, the arms form braces andmaintain the movable bed 7 in an inclined position.

Lock 9 also includes means 73 for moving the lower ends of arms 65 and67 forwardly of the rearward edge of latching plates 69 and 71 when themovable bed 7 is inclined slightly more than the inclination shown inFIG. 2. Means 73 includes a plate or finger 75 to which one end of anL-shaped 'arm 77 is secured. Arm 77 has a handle portion 78 and isrotatably journaled in a bearing member 79 secured to the lower side ofside member 13. One end of a tension spring 81 is connected to finger 75at a point spaced outwardly from the arm 77. The other end of spring 81is connected to the lower end portion of brace or arm 67. The finger 75is rotatable from a first position (FIG. 1) wherein the distance betweenthe points at which spring '81 is connected to finger 75 and brace 67 isless than the untensioned length of the spring to a second position(FIGS. 2 and wherein the distance between said points is greater thanthe untensioned length of the spring. The outer end of finger 75 istapered as indicated at 83 to permit the spring 81 to overcenter, i.e.,pass over the axis of rotation of L-shaped arm 77 and finger 75, asshown in FIG. 5, when the end portion of the finger engages front endstop member 15.

Assuming the apparatus is in the position shown in FIG. 1, without amaterial handling box B thereon, placement of a box on the apparatus andoperation of the latter are as follows:

First a material handling box full of parts is lifted with a fork-lifttruck and delivered to the support apparatus 1. The box B is then liftedup until the fork of the lift truck is horizontally aligned with theupper edge of the bed 7. The lift truck is moved forward with the forkthereof passing over the movable bed 7 and the box B is set on the bedand the fork withdrawn.

If the level of the parts in the box B is sufiiciently high, the workmanmay reach into the box while the latter is in a generally horizontalposition to grasp the parts. However, if the level of parts in the boxis low or as the level recedes as the parts are used the workman cansignal a fork-lift truck driver. The fork of the lift truck is thenraised until it is horizontally aligned with the cutout 19 in front endmember and the forward ends of the fork are slipped through cutout 19beneath front cha nnel 55 on movable bed 7. The fork is then raised,thereby causing the bed 7 and box B thereon to swing upwardly abouthinge 59. As the bed swings upwardly the arms or braces 65 and 67 swingdownwardly relative to bed 7 so that the lower ends of the braces dragalong the upper surfaces 27 of channels 21 and 23. The untensionedlength of spring 81 is such that the latter does not exert any springbiasing force on brace 67 at this time. After the lower ends of braces65 and 67 ride over latching plates 69 and 71, the latter preventforward movement of the braces and the fork of the lift truck may bewithdrawn. The bed 7 and box B are then in an inclined position whichcauses the parts in the box to slide toward the lower end thereof to beeasily accessible by the workman.

After the lower ends of braces 65 and 67 firmly engage the latchingplates 69 and 71, the workman swings the L-shaped arm lever 77 andfinger 75 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown inFIGS. 2 and 5. As the lever 77 is swung in this direction the spring 81is extended and exerts a tensioning force on the lower ends of the brace67. However, the weight of the box B maintains the lower end of thebrace 67 against the edge of latching plate 71. The spring 81 passesover the axis of rotation of lever 77 before tapered portion 83 offinger 75 engages front end member 15 so that after such engagement thespring maintains the finger in such position.

When it is desired to remove the box B, the fork of a lift truck israised until it engages the channel member of bed 7. The fork is thenraised a slight amount to increase the inclination of the bed 7 and boxB, thereby raising the lower ends of braces and 67 above the latchingplates 69 and 71. As soon as this has occurred, spring 81 pulls thelower end of brace 67, and consequently the lower end of brace 65,forwardly of the rearward edge of latching plates 69 and 71. The fork ofthe lift truck may then be lowered and withdrawn. As this is done, thebed 7 and box B return to generally horizontal positions and the lowerends of braces 65 and 67 slide forward.

As the bed 7 and box B return to these generally horizontal positions,the spring 81 shortens and the finger and lever 77 fall back to theiroriginal positions. The fork of the lift truck is then inserted betweenthe bottom of the box B and the upper surface of the bed 7 and the boxis lifted off the bed.

It will thus be seen that the support apparatus of this invention isadapted to support a material handling box in either a generallyhorizontal position or an inclined position for facilitating the removalof the material there- In view of the foregoing, it will be seen thatthe several objects and other advantages of this invention areaccomplished.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to theexact constructions shown and described, but that various Changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Support apparatus for a material handling box comprising a fixed bed,a movable bed pivotally connected to said fixed bed, said movable bedbeing adapted to receive a material handling box thereon, and beingmovable between a generally horizontal position and an inclinedposition, a releaseable lock means extending between said fixed bed andsaid movable bed for holding the latter in said inclined position, saidreleaseable lock means including a brace pivotally connected to saidmovable bed and adapted to be swung downwardly therefrom, latching meanssecured to said fixed bed, the lower end of said brace being engageablewith said latching means for maintaining said movable bed in an inclinedposition, said releasable lock means further including a plate, meanspivotally connecting said plate to said fixed bed, and resilient meansconnected between the outer end portion of said brace and said plate ata point spaced from the means pivotally connecting the plate to thefixed bed.

2. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said meanspivotally connecting said plate to said fixed bed includes an arm havinga handle thereon adapted to be rotated manually for rotating said platefrom a first position wherein said resilient means is relativelyuntensioned to a second position wherein said resilient means istensioned.

3. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fixed bedincludes a member against which the outer end portion of said plate isengageable when said resilient means is tensioned, said resilient meansholding said plate against said member when said plate is moved againstsaid member.

4. Support apparatus for a material handling box comprising a fixed bed,a movable bed pivotally connected to said fixed bed, said movable bedbeing adapted to receive a material handling box thereon, and beingmovable between a generally horizontal position and an inclinedposition, a releasable lock means extending between said fixed bed andsaid movable bed for holding the latter in said inclined position, saidreleasable lock means including a shaft rotatably connected to saidmovable bed, brace members connected to opposite end portions of saidshaft and adapted to be swung downwardly from said movable bed, saidfixed bed having latching members secured thereto vertically alignedwith the planes in which said braces swing, the lower ends of saidbraces being engageable with the edges of said latching members formaintaining said movable bed in an inclined position, said releaseablelock means further including a rigid finger, means pivotally connectingsaid finger to said fixed bed, and a spring connected between the outerend portion of one of said braces and said finger at a point spaced fromthe means pivotally connecting the finger to the fixed bed.

5. Support apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said meanspivotally connecting said finger to said fixed bed includes an L-shapedarm having a handle portion adapted to be rotated manually for rotatingsaid finger from a first position wherein the distance between thepoints at which said spring connected to said finger and one brace isless than the untensioned length of said spring to a second positionwherein the distance between said points is greater than the untensionedlength of said spring.

6. Support means as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fixed bed includesa stop member against which the outer end portion of said finger isengageable when the latter is in said second position, said springholding said outer end portion of said finger in engagement with saidstop member when said finger is moved against said stop member and thelower ends of said braces are engaged with the edges of said latchingmembers, said spring pulling the lower ends of said braces over saidlatching members when the inclination of said movable bed is increasedover the inclination of said movable bed when the latter is in saidinclined position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,267 6/1886 Bishop et al.248-140 692,434 2/1902 Elliott 248-140 715,018 12/1902 Campbell 248-140ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

FRANK DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

